In truth
Henri Nouwen said,
"One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."- Henri Nouwen.
Jesus said,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23,24.
How do you worship God?
Do you simply go to church to feel good? Do you go to church for the music and to fellowship with friends?
Sadly many go to church to feel good. They go because they like the music and can meet their friends there.
It’s only a small percentage of people who attend church that do most of the work. Every church big or small has a need for more workers.
And perhaps, just perhaps, if the truth be known only a small percentage of those attending a church are truly Christians.
I was once told by a pastor that the people that were brought up in the church are the hardest to reach.
They have made going to church a lifestyle. They know what to say and when to say it. They know all the rules of the church and all the ritual. They even know a good bit of scripture. They may even say, and sincerely think they have Christ in their lives but they do not.
They believe there is a God but they do not put their faith in Him.
The writer of Hebrews tells us we need to have faith in God, writing
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
He defines faith as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1.
Faith for a Christian is believing in God and serving Him. It means worshipping God as Jesus said “in spirit and in truth”.
One of the definitions the Oxford dictionary gives for spirit is, “...the real meaning or intention of something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation.”
We as Christians have to really mean what we are doing as opposed to simply praying because it’s the thing to do. When we sing praises to God we have to truly mean what we are singing as opposed to singing because we feel good.
Faith in God and a sincerity of worship is essential in the Christian life. We have to be willing to give our whole life to God. As Henri Nouwen said,
"One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."
That’s what true faith in God is all about. Giving up control of our lives to God. Allowing God to work through us to complete His work on this earth.
Please think about it.
Henri Nouwen said,
"One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."- Henri Nouwen.
Jesus said,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23,24.
How do you worship God?
Do you simply go to church to feel good? Do you go to church for the music and to fellowship with friends?
Sadly many go to church to feel good. They go because they like the music and can meet their friends there.
It’s only a small percentage of people who attend church that do most of the work. Every church big or small has a need for more workers.
And perhaps, just perhaps, if the truth be known only a small percentage of those attending a church are truly Christians.
I was once told by a pastor that the people that were brought up in the church are the hardest to reach.
They have made going to church a lifestyle. They know what to say and when to say it. They know all the rules of the church and all the ritual. They even know a good bit of scripture. They may even say, and sincerely think they have Christ in their lives but they do not.
They believe there is a God but they do not put their faith in Him.
The writer of Hebrews tells us we need to have faith in God, writing
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
He defines faith as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1.
Faith for a Christian is believing in God and serving Him. It means worshipping God as Jesus said “in spirit and in truth”.
One of the definitions the Oxford dictionary gives for spirit is, “...the real meaning or intention of something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation.”
We as Christians have to really mean what we are doing as opposed to simply praying because it’s the thing to do. When we sing praises to God we have to truly mean what we are singing as opposed to singing because we feel good.
Faith in God and a sincerity of worship is essential in the Christian life. We have to be willing to give our whole life to God. As Henri Nouwen said,
"One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."
That’s what true faith in God is all about. Giving up control of our lives to God. Allowing God to work through us to complete His work on this earth.
Please think about it.
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